Spinal cord injuries are divided into two types: incomplete and complete. An incomplete spinal cord injury is one in which the injured party still has functioning body parts located below the affected body part. A complete spinal cord injury is one in which the injured cannot move anything below the body part that was affected.

INCOMPLETE SPINE INJURY

Incomplete spinal cord injuries are more common than complete injuries. Over 60% of all injuries to the spinal cord are incomplete. This is because medical professionals know the proper ways to respond to this type of injury in order to avoid complicating it. There are three common types of incomplete spinal injuries:

• Anterior Cord Syndrome

• Central Cord Syndrome

• Brown-Sequard Syndrome

An anterior injury is found at the spinal cord's front. In this type of injury the sensory pathways and motor are damaged. A central injury is found at the cord's center and involves nerve damage. A Brown-Sequard injury occurs when one side of the spinal cord has been injured.

COMPLETE SPINE INJURY

Complete spinal cord injuries are less common but more severe. There are three types of complete spinal cord injuries:

• Tetraplegia

• Paraplegia

• Triplegia

The most severe type of complete spinal cord injury is Tetraplegia. This causes paralysis and can affect every limb. Its location on the cervical spine dictates exactly how severe this injury is. Paraplegia involves the injured losing complete movement and sensation of body parts. Triplegia typically results from complications arising in a spinal cord injury classified as incomplete.